Eastgate Christian School

Thank you for your interest in Eastgate Christian School at La Jolla Community Church. We consider it a privilege to be a part of your child’s life as they learn and grow. We believe that each child in our school has been sent here by God to be cared for in a safe and loving environment.

Our Mission: to provide a Christ-centered, loving, and secure learning environment to help students develop socially, emotionally, physically, intellectually and spiritually as we serve the students, their families, and our communities.

Please know that we take our job seriously and will do our best to meet the needs of your family. The staff, the preschool board, the church and I would like to extend a warm welcome to you and your child. Your family is important to us so please let us know if you have any concerns about your child or our program.

At ECS we offer age appropriate activities that are designed to develop the whole child. The curriculum offers opportunities for learning in language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, fine arts, and Bible. Eastgate also offers a rich environment for play.

As you participate in and visit our school, please remember that this is a child’s world. Work is play! Concept development comes from children experimenting with their environment. We direct our children in some of their play, so that they will learn important concepts. We also provide free time for them to explore the world and learn on their own.

Children’s ideas of art, beauty and fun do not always coincide with our adult ideas. Be open to their imagination and see what you can learn from them. Welcome back to the world of childhood, magical play and endless curiosity.

ECS is a non-profit organization (Tax ID # 20-2677394) that provides quality preschool care for the greater San Diego area. Our preschool is licensed by the state of California (LIC # 376700337) for children two to five years of age. ECS is also a member of ACSI (Association of Christian School International).

We have a wonderfully diverse group of children coming from all over the world. Our excellent team of early childhood educators are specialist in early childhood education. We will work hard with you to ensure a secure and fun learning time during your child’s school hours.

Eastgate Christian School accepts children ages two through five who are within the normal range of health and development and who can benefit from such a program.

Eastgate Christian School is a ministry of La Jolla Community Church. ECS is a private school and reserves the right to accept or refuse any application. The submission of an application, signed by a parent or legal guardian, does not guarantee enrollment or indicate any right to available spaces at ESC.

According to California law parents/guardians must turn in all enrollment forms including medical forms and immunization records before a child is allowed to attend school. The following immunizations are required for those children 2-years-old and older:

Two-Year-Old Class

The two-year-old class is open to children who are two-years-old. Children remain in the class until they are at least thirty months to three years of age and there is an opening in a three-year-old classroom. This class distinction is in keeping with state age requirements.

Children in the two-year-old class may come to school in diapers. Our teachers will work with you to help toilet train your child. Children who are developmentally ready are taken to the restroom on a regular schedule. Parents provide all diapers and ointments and are responsible for replacing them as needed. Please bring all items with your child’s name labeled on them. Remember, children who are toilet training need extra clothing that is easy to remove.

Our two-year-old class has an enrollment of twelve students and two teachers. This ensures that your child will receive the love and respect they deserve. Our teachers are well educated and will answer any questions or concerns that you have.

Naptime takes place everyday after lunch. We will provide a clean cot for your child and will work with each child individually in creating the best napping experience as possible. We encourage all our parents to purchase bedding designed for our cots. We recommend the “Kid-Napper” which can be purchased through our school office. If a child should have a continued difficult time with naptime causing a disruption of the whole class naptime and the teacher has worked through all possible solutions with the parent, the child may be asked to be picked up prior to the naptime until they are ready to stay for the duration of the naptime. This is to ensure a quiet and restful environment for all the children in the class.

We encourage new families to schedule a visit with the classroom teacher prior to their first day of school so that they can meet their teacher and visit the classroom. The teachers in the classroom will be able to suggest ideas about making a smooth transition into the new environment.

Three-Year-Old Class

The three-year-old class is open to children who will turn three-years-old before December 1st of the school year enrolled. Toilet training before entering the three-year-old class is strongly advised. Our teachers will work with your child during their first month to complete toilet training while attending the three-year-old class. After a month the children in the three-year-old class should be potty trained to allow for a successful line-up as they get ready to enter into the Pre-Kindergarten class. Any exceptions based on developmental readiness will be made on the teacher and director’s assessment and/or a doctor’s assessment when necessary.

Naps are encouraged for all three year olds every afternoon. Children will be given a clean cot to sleep on. We encourage all our parents to purchase bedding designed for our cots. We recommend the “Kid-Napper” which can be purchased through our school office. If your child does not usually nap, please inform the teachers. While teachers will not make your child sleep, children are required by the state of California to have a rest time at school.

Pre-Kindergarten Class

In order to keep in line with the public school entrance requirements, students may enroll in the pre-kindergarten class if they are four-years-old before December 1st of the school year enrolled. Entry dates are established by the state to ensure a smooth transition into kindergarten after preschool graduation.

Children must be completely toilet trained before entering the pre-kindergarten class. This is a necessity because of the classroom layout and the location of the restroom.

Naps are encouraged for all four year olds every afternoon. Children will be given a clean cot to sleep on. We encourage all our parents to purchase bedding designed for our cots. We recommend the “Kid-Napper” which can be purchased through our school office. If your child does not usually nap, please inform the teachers. While teachers will not make your child sleep, children are required by the state of California to have a rest time at school.

Eastgate Christian School is a year round program. Our school year runs from September through May. Our summer camp program runs June through August. Children may enroll any time during the year providing there is space available. Each spring, families are required to re-register their child if they plan to continue at ECS.

A non-refundable registration fee is due for each new ($150) and returning ($125) child at the time of registration along with updated paperwork. This is necessary for your child’s placement, covers the cost of setting-up/maintaining your preschool account and provides an emergency pack for your child.

Enrollment for the school year begins the spring before with Priority Enrollment for current students first. ECS is a year-round school and enrollment is continuously filled throughout the year and summer as space becomes available. Applications are accepted year round.

All families sign contracts at the time of enrollment. Please note that the contract states that you are responsible for the full year’s tuition unless a 30-day written notice is given to the office.

We reserve the right to discontinue enrollment if the policies and procedures of the preschool do not meet the needs of parents and children.

Health/Illness Policy

Each child is required to have a physical examination prior to enrollment and to have an updated immunization record. Parents also need to provide a social and health history of their child to the office upon application (LIC 702). State law requires that we have this information before your child enrolls at Eastgate Christian School. It is in the best interest of all the children and staff that we have this information. All records are confidential.

Eastgate Christian School is not licensed to accept ill children. We reserve the right to refuse to admit a child who is ill or has obvious symptoms of illness. If your child becomes ill during the day, you or a designated pick-up person will be called to pick up your child. We do not have the facilities to isolate and care for a sick child for an extended period of time.

Prescription medicine will only be administered to your child if we have written permission from the parent and instructions from the doctor. The teachers have the medication permission form that must be filled out stating the duration the child needs the medication. According to the state law, the medicine must be in the original bottle with your child’s name and instructions on how to administer the medication on the label. We must also have a copy of the Rx Instructions provided by the pharmacy. Over the counter medication will not be given unless specifically prescribed in writing by a physician.

If your child contracts a contagious disease or is exposed to a disease at home, please notify us at once. We are required to keep all parents notified of any exposure to illness.

Children who are ill do not belong at school. A sick child will be uncomfortable and will expose others to illness. Do not ask us to keep your child indoors because he/she does not feel good. A child who is not well enough to participate in all preschool activities is not well enough to be in school. If your child is running a fever, please do not give them any fever reducing medication and then send them to school. ECS desires to stop the spread of illness and keep our classrooms healthy. Keeping the teacher informed of any upsets, minor ailments, family ailments or medicines taken at home will help us provide the best care for your child.

Health Information

Eastgate Christian School is not licensed to care for sick children. Parents need to make other arrangements. Sick children need to rest at home, so that the time at school is enjoyable. The following guidelines will help you make wise decisions about whether or not to keep your child at home. If your child exhibits any of the following conditions, he/she must be kept at home. If your child comes to school with these symptoms, he/she will be sent home.

Fever:

Fevers are any temperature over 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Fever is an indicator that something is wrong. Please do not give a child fever medication and send them to school. You could be covering up a contagious illness. Children need to be free of fever and without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.

Mucous:

Green and yellow mucous from the nose indicates an infection and not a simple cold or allergies. This condition should be checked and treated by a physician.

Cough:

A wet, wheezy or hacking cough is a serious condition. It exposes
children in the class to germs.

Diarrhea:

This is an indicator of intestinal distress and possibly an illness. It is uncomfortable for a child and can be highly contagious. Students sent home for this condition may not return until they have been symptom free for 24 hours.

Vomiting:

A child who has vomited within the last 24 hours should not be at school.

Rashes:

Any rash beyond a common heat or diaper rash needs to be seen by a doctor for diagnosis, and a note from the doctor as to the nature of the rash must accompany a returning child.

Eyes:

The eyes need to be clear and not excessively runny, itchy, red, filled with pus or inflamed. Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) is highly contagious. A doctor’s note will be required and the child’s eyes need to be clear for 24 hours before coming back to school.

Bowel or Bladder:

Constipation is very uncomfortable. Please keep your child’s teacher informed of bowel or bladder problems. Do not give a child a laxative and send him/her to school.

Pain:

Any type of pain needs attention by the doctor. Tenderness in the neck, eyes, ears, throat, abdomen, or back can be quite serious.

Behavior:

A child who is listless, overly tired or agitated needs to be at home. He/she will not be able to comfortably participate in the activities of the day.

In the event that your child needs to be sent home we will take the following steps to ensure that your child is comfortable and at home as soon as possible.

Call Parents – All Numbers Provided

Message is left at all numbers where voicemail is available.
After thirty minutes if parent has not been able to be contacted or returned our phone calls, we will begin to call emergency contacts.
Please ensure that these individuals know that they may be called on to pick up your child if you are unable to be reached.
Children must be picked up within 45 minutes of our first call. If you are not able to be here in that time, it is your responsibility to find another caregiver to come and pick up your child from ECS.
These guidelines were created with the health and safety of your child and the other children in mind.

Children that incur an injury that is beyond our teacher’s basic first aid training and believes to warrant further observation or medical attention will be asked to be picked up. The parent will be called and notified of any injury that should happen to the head and might necessitate the child to be picked up for further parental observation and medical attention if the parent chooses. Any medical treatment that is sought as a direct result of an injury that occurs at school must be notified to the ECS director.

For minor cuts, scraps, or bruises basic first aid will be used to address the injury. Our teachers are trained in first aid and child CPR. An incident report will be sent home for the parent to review.

Thank you for your understanding of our health and safety policy. Your cooperation will ensure the health of all our students and teachers.

Emergency Information

When you enroll your child, we ask for the following information to help us care for your child in case of an emergency. The State of California also requires us to have the below information on file for every child.

Your Daytime Phone Number:

Parents are the first people to be notified in the event of an illness or emergency. Please give us multiple numbers for reaching you and supply us with new numbers if any change occurs.

Names and Numbers of trusted Relatives and Friends:

When we cannot reach you, we want to reach someone you trust. You must give permission for this person to take your sick child home or help us contact you. Please inform this person that they are your emergency contact and ensure that they have all proper health and insurance information for your child.

Your Child’s Health History and Allergies:

We need to know information about any past illness, conditions or allergies that may assist us in caring for your child.

Parents of children with special food needs or allergies will be responsible for making a special emergency pack with food and other necessities. These packs will be kept with the other emergency packs.

Emergency Procedures

In the event of a large-scale emergency, such as an earthquake, we will follow the procedures listed below:

Our first responsibility is to your children. We will remove all children from dangerous areas and attend to their health and immediate needs. We have teachers trained in emergency care, first aid and CPR.

Our second responsibility is to contact you. Please check with the school office to be sure that all your contact information is accurate and up to date.

Emergency Earthquake Packs

Eastgate Christian School keeps emergency packs for each child that will sustain him/her for three to five days. The packs include water, food and a space blanket. They are stored in a storage bin located away from the building.

Policies And Procedures

What to Bring to School:

Nap-Time Mat

We encourage all our parents to purchase bedding designed for our cots. We recommend the “Kid-Napper” which can be purchased through our school office. Your child’s bedding will be sent home every Friday to be washed.

Complete Change of Clothes:

Please bring an extra outfit for your child to wear if he/she needs to change. Although numerous precautions are taken to protect clothes during class projects, clothes will became soiled over the course of the day. We advise that you do not send your child in any clothing that you do not want to be stained. Please keep in mind the season when supplying the change of clothing. Your child will be most comfortable changing into clothing that is fitting to the weather. Please label your child’s clothing.

Sunscreen

Please apply sunscreen in the morning before leaving home. If you would like it applied again in the afternoon, please leave a bottle with your child’s name on it in their cubby.

What not to Bring to School:

Toys

Children are not allowed to bring toys from home. These items create conflict with other children in the classroom. Many teachers plan a weekly share day. Check with your child’s teacher to find out if there will be a show and tell day.

Candy

Children are not allowed to bring candy or gum from home. These items are a disruption to our classrooms. Please leave all gum and candy at home.

Pacifiers

Because the pacifier can interfere with the development of teeth and language, children are discouraged from bringing a pacifier to school.

Arrival And Departure

Dropping Off Your Child

Arrival Time

We ask that all children arrive to school no later than 9:00 a.m. This will ensure that your child has enough time to get acclimated and transitioned into the day and does not miss circle time. Circle time sets the stage for the day’s activities. It is important that your child does not miss it.

Sign-In

State law requires that the person dropping off a child must sign his/her full first and last name with the time. There is a sign-in sheet in the school office. You must sign in every day.

Greet the Teacher

Take a few minutes to talk with the teacher. Let the teacher know if something new is happening in your child’s life. A brief update can give teachers important information to help your child have a successful day.

Say Goodbye

Develop a routine with your child. Parents are always welcome to help stay and smooth the transition, but actually a quick goodbye is easier for the child. We will support your decision.

Picking Up Your Child

Departure Time

The normal school hours end at 4:30pm and Extended Care ends at 6:00pm. We ask for compliance with your child’s contracted time. Please note the Late Policy below.

Talk With the Teacher

The teacher can briefly let you know how your child’s day went and any special concerns. We encourage good communication between parents and teachers, so that we can offer consistency in care.

Sign-Out

State law requires a full signature and the time on the sign out sheet. Please make it a habit. Children that have been signed out must stay with the parent and cannot be left to explore areas surrounding the preschool classrooms. Once a child is signed out, it is the parent’s responsibility to supervise them. Free, unsupervised exploration is unsafe in any environment. We also ask that you not leave children in a car unattended.

Late Policy

Please pick-up your child promptly at the specified time on your contract. Tardiness can result in illegal teacher/child ratios and difficulty with our teachers. Many of our teachers have families of their own to go home to. We ask that you respect their time. We appreciate your consideration and promptness.

With each late pick up you will receive a notice from a teacher. You will keep one copy for your own records and a signed copy will remain in your child’s folder in the office.

If you are over five minutes late you will be charged a fee of $20.00 for each hour (or part there of) on your next tuition statement along with the late slip notice. In the event you receive five late notices over the course of the 12-month contract year, your child’s enrollment may be discontinued and you may be asked to find another school.

Authorized Person’s to Pick-Up Your Child

When you enroll your child, you are asked to give us the names of the people allowed to pick-up your child from school. If someone new needs to pick-up your child, please give your permission in writing or add his/her name to our list.

Identification

Please ensure that you or anyone else designated to pick up your child is able to produce a government issued picture ID. This will guarantee that your child is released to the appropriate individual. In the event a substitute is present this will help to match your child with the appropriate pick-up person. Your child may not be released from Eastgate Christian School if a picture ID cannot be produced by the adult attempting the pick-up.

Parents must always accompany their children in and out of the classroom and the school building. Please be sure teachers know you are picking up your child. We also ask that you be considerate of your contracted pick up time and arrive promptly.

Behavioral Management

The staff at Eastgate Christian School wants every child to feel that he/she is in a safe, happy place. We work to develop feelings of respect between all persons associated with our school. Children are encouraged to work out ways to deal with their differences in a positive, appropriate manner.

Certain actions are considered inappropriate and are not allowed at any time. These include: biting, hitting, spitting or verbally abusing other children or staff, inappropriate language or gestures, excessive or unusual sexual behavior and throwing dangerous objects. We will discontinue the enrollment of any child from school because of the use of one or more of these behaviors if the child does not respond to guidance.

Biting behavior is considered a health risk in the classroom. Biting or any aggressive behavior that proves to be a pattern will result in your child being removed from the school for a period of time. If improvement is not seen your child’s enrollment will be discontinued. These behaviors could be an indicator of stress or may indicate that another setting would prove more appropriate for your child.

The teachers work to consistently define the limits of behavior so that all the children understand. Several methods may be used to help a child with inappropriate behavior. Soft words of redirection, teachers modeling appropriate behavior, and time-out are the basic tools of behavior management. Eastgate Christian School does not use corporal punishment at any time.

Our goal is to help ensure every child’s success in the school setting. This includes learning acceptable social behavior. We also have a responsibility to keep our environment safe for all the students and staff. It is important for parents and guardians to understand that repeated dangerous behavior will result in discontinued enrollment from the school. We believe that children who consistently exhibit these behaviors would best be served in an environment that differs from Eastgate Christian School.

Policy on Biting and Aggressive Behavior

We understand that intermittent biting in young children is normal in early childhood development. However, since biting and other such aggressive behaviors have the potential to harm others, Eastgate Christian School has established the following policy to help manage this behavior.

1st Offense – Warning and Parent Notification

Upon observing a biting incident, the teacher will first attend to the bitten child, comforting the child and cleaning the area of the bite gently with soap and water. If bruising occurs, ice will be applied for a short time period. The teacher will also remove the child who bit from the setting in which the biting occurred. In an age appropriate manner, the teacher will explain to the child that this behavior is not acceptable. The teacher will not reward the biting child by immediately giving that child extra attention.

A teacher who observes aggressive behavior, such as biting, will document the behavior on an Incident/Accident Form and report the incident to the Director and the parents of both children involved. If you receive a notice that your child has bitten another child at school, please speak with your child about the incident informing them that “biting is not okay”. The names of the children will not be released, nor will any medical or other information.

2nd Offense – Child will be sent home immediately

If biting occurs a second time, the parent will be called and the child will be sent home immediately. Please take this time to discuss the incident with your child. The parent will need to set up a conference with their child’s teacher to devise a plan to change the behavior. ECS staff can provide information to parents on how to discourage such behavior in children.

3rd Offense – ECS Contract can be canceled

If the aggressive behavior is not able to be controlled with reasonable staff supervision, or if the child continues to display significant aggression to the extent that another child could be harmed, the child may be withdrawn permanently from ECS.

**If your child causes severe harm to another child or teacher their contract will be canceled immediately.

Tuition/Billing

Monthly Tuition

Tuition will be due on the first of each month. After the fifth of every month a late fee of $30 will be charged to your account for any outstanding balances. If your account still shows an outstanding balance by the end of the month your child’s enrollment may be discontinued immediately. Delinquent accounts will be turned over to a collection agency. Please contact the director to discuss any problems concerning the timely payment of your child’s tuition. No refunds or credits will be given for early pick-ups, illness, vacations, mandated or holiday school closures.

Checks

Please make checks payable to: La Jolla Community Church. Be sure to include your child’s name and the month you are paying for.

Sibling Discount

For families with two or more children enrolled there is a 10% discount on the second child’s tuition.

Contract Changes

We encourage students to attend preschool year round. Staying enrolled in the program will help ensure your child’s placement for the next fall. If you decide not to continue your child’s enrollment during the summer, you will be placed at the bottom of the waiting list. Your child’s placement will not be secure unless he/she is enrolled year round. You may choose to maintain enrollment even if your child is gone for an extended period by continuing your monthly tuition payment.

Parent Involvement

We encourage communication and partnership between our teachers, parents and staff. Parents are notified of school events and special activities through our monthly newsletter, calendar, notes and daily conversations with our teachers.

We request that you keep the school informed of any significant changes in your child’s life. A child may experience emotional, social or even physical difficulties during times of change. We can be of greater help to your child if we are aware of the changes in his/her life. Please help us establish an atmosphere of open sharing and communication.

Parent’s Night

At the beginning of the school year there is a Parent’s Night required of all returning and new families. This is an important time for each family, whether new or old, because it is a time that parents are able to formally meet the teachers (and vice versa) and for the teachers to discuss their classroom goals and important aspects of the new classroom.

Parent Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences can be scheduled with your child’s teacher. Progress reports will be sent home twice a year. This is where your child’s teacher will evaluate your child’s developmental progress. If needed, your child’s teacher will go over the evaluation with you and talk to you about any concerns. Parents are welcome to ask questions at any time.

Musical Programs

The students at Eastgate Christian School are proud to present a Christmas program and a spring program each year. All students, ages two through five years and their teachers participate. Our programs take place in the chapel and all parents, relatives and friends are welcome.
Parents may be asked to make costumes, build props and volunteer in many ways as we prepare for our exciting bi-annual productions. We appreciate your enthusiasm as we encourage our young prodigies in the fine arts.

Pre-Kindergarten Graduation

Our graduation ceremony honors our graduating preschoolers as we finish the school year. Each pre-kindergartener will receive a certificate. Preschoolers will also be given a special gift from their teachers.

Additional Notes

Celebrating your child’s work

Take time to allow your child to show you what they’ve been doing in school. Children are proud of their school and their work. They want you to see and be a part of it. Please check your child’s cubby daily for their class work and any school correspondence.

Show and Tell

Your child is welcome to bring a toy, pictures, special project, etc to school on his/her assigned classroom show and tell day. These items must remain in your child’s cubby until show and tell time. Your child’s teacher will provide you with more information about these special times in the classroom. ECS is not responsible for broken or lost items.

No weapons

Eastgate Christian School does not allow children to bring any toys to school for show and tell that have weapons. ECS also discourages any play that involves the use of weapons, pretend play of weapons or play fighting.

Clothing

Children need to come to school dressed for play and comfort. Be sure that clothes are washable and that your child can safely participate in all art and play activities while wearing them. Children wear paint aprons for painting, but they need to feel that it is ok to play and get messy without upsetting Mom and Dad. If your child will be upset if the outfit is soiled, please do not let your child wear it to school.

Your child will also spend time outside each day. It is important for your child’s safety that he/she wears comfortable, safe shoes (i.e. tennis shoes or closed toe sandals). Flip-flops and slip on sandals prove to be unsafe when children are running on the playground and therefore may not be worn at school. During winter months please provide a sweater or jacket labeled with your child’s name.

Birthday Celebrations

We love to celebrate your child’s birthday! If you would like to bring a special snack, please let your child’s teacher know in advance. We ask that you not send sheet cakes to school. We prefer fruit snacks, yogurt, or muffins. These items are a great healthy alternative and save the teachers time because there is little preparation time required.

Supply and Book List Wishes

Each class has a wish list of supplies and/or books for the classroom. ECS greatly appreciates the help in donations of these items.

Vacations

Please inform the school office as well as your child’s teacher if your child will not be attending school for a period of time. If you are going to be on vacation through the first of the month arrangements will need to be made concerning your monthly tuition. Tuition is the same each month regardless of absence due to vacation or illness. Expenses for the school continue in spite of your child’s absence. You must continue payment to ensure your child’s spot in their class.

Severe Weather / Power Outages / GGBTS Closures

In the event there is an unanticipated power outage, ECS will close if the electricity is unable to be restored within a two hour period. The State of California requires facilities to have properly working fixtures, furniture, equipment, and supplies which can be compromised when there is no electricity because the school has no phones, heat or light.

For a planned electricity outage by the city, a closure notice will be given to parents as early as possible and other arrangements need to be made by each family for care for their child during that time. No refunds or credits will be given for mandated closures.

Child Abuse Reporting

The ECS staff is concerned about the well being of all the children and their families. The preschool has a moral and legal responsibility to report any case of suspected child abuse to the Department of Social Services (DSS). In suspected abuse and neglect cases, no evidence will be excluded on the grounds of confidentiality, including preschool records.

Facebook

On Good Friday we remember the last moments of Christ’s life. The service is from 6:30-7:30 pm on Friday, March 30, 2018, at LJCC and will include worship, prayer, and readings from Scripture on the seven last words of Christ. We will be referencing the Crucifixion but the content is appropriate for families. Kid packs will be provided for Elementary children. The Welcome Center will be open for parents with infants and toddlers with a feed to the live service. ... See MoreSee Less

Join us for five nights of FUN this summer as we explore what it means to live FULLY ALIVE! Experience the exciting worship, small groups, and games with the chance to discover new passions in sports, science, theater, baking, and creative art. Get ready for kids to learn to LIVE FULLY ALIVE because we can live in CONFIDENCE that what God says is true!